Roller-latch.



- No. 842,009. PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.

G. J. RECORD.

ROLLER LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1906.

Umrnn s ra'rns PATENT OFFICE.

ROLLER-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed November 5. 1906. Serial No. 342,007.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Green-en J. RECORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conneaut, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l-loller-Latches; and I l do hereby declare the foil owing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such. as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a small, compact, light, and satisfactory spring-pressed roller-latch for doors, windows, and other hinged or sliding parts or structures, the roller being effectually guarded against protruding too far in order that the door or window may be opened by hand at will with moderate effort, although securely held against accidental opening.

This device is especially intended for very light doors, such as are manufactured by me, but, as indicated above, has a much wider range of usefulness.

To the end above stated the said invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the said device as applied to a door and door-jamb, the door being in nearly closed position. Fig. 2 represents a rear perspective view of the roller, its springs, and the p ate to which the latter are attached. Fig. 3 represents a vertical central section through the latch when closed, showing also the contiguous parts of the door and jarnb broken away; and Fig. 4 represents the same rollerlatch applied to a Window-sash.

A designates a door having the roller-carrying plate C attached to its closing edge, and B designates the jamb of the door-casing having a mortised keeper-plate D on its corresponding face, the mortise or socket d of the latter plate being arranged to allow the roller E to spring into and engage the same.

Said roller works through an opening in plate 0 of approximately its own length, but slightly less width than its diameter, being normally forced to protrude partly beyond the face oi said plate by the pressure of bent springs F on its somewhat-elongated terminal trunnions a, received in holes of bent ends f of said springs, the latter being attached at their other ends to plate O and located-in rear thereof. The roller is prevented from protruding too far by the contact of the said bent ends with plate C at the ends 01' said opening, also by the contact of the peripheral part of said roller with the said plate at the sides of said opening. The said trunnions would answer the same purpose if the ends f should be bent or worn away so as to come no longer first in contact with plate C. There are therefore three distinct guards against the undue protrusion of the roller. The said springs bear with equal pressure on the said trunnions at both ends of said roller, and

their increasing tension when forced back prevents it from receding too far. The ournals are sufiiciently loose in the holes in the springs to allow a little play and to let the roller be easily removed or replaced.

When the door closes, the contact of the protruding part of said roller with the plate D forces said roller back against the pressure of said springs until it is flush with the face of plate C, and thus rides over plate D until opposite the mortise or socket d in plate D, when it springs into the same and latches the door. The door opens by simply the direct application of sufiicient force-in pull or pres sure, the springs again yielding thereto and the roller riding up out of the mortise, then along the face of plate D, andfinally springing into protruding position again out of engagement.

The parts may of course be reversed in relative arrangement, the mortise-plate D being attached to the door and the plate C to the jamb. Also these parts may be used at either the top or bottom of the door, one of said plates being attached to the top of the sill or the under side of the lintel. this roller-latch may be of any size and of any desired strength of spring and may be applied to chest-covers or other hinged parts as readily as to doors. Furthermore, the mortise or -keeper plate may be dispensed with, the surface opposite the roller being suitably recessed for its engagement. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4, the edge of a sliding windew-sash may be recessed at G to receive the roller E at any one of several different points, the plate C being attached in horizontal position to the inner face of one side of the window-frame presenting the said roller horizon-- tally. The roller thus arranged will act to hold the sash against accidental lowering at any one of several points to which it may be raised or lowered for opening the window more or less, but will be overcome by the pre- Of course determined degree of force in raising and lowering the sash at will. of mortise-plates like D might also be used instead of the recesses G in the edge of the sash. Also the said roller-cat ch with or without the mortise-plate may be used with sliding doors or other slidin parts, elements, or structures as readily as with window-sashes, doors, or the hinged parts hereinbefore mentioned.

This latch is nearly noiseless and operates also as a sash-tightener and antirattling device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent, is-

1. In a roller-latch, a plate provided with a slot, in combination with a roller protruding in part through said slot and a pair of bent fiat springs attached to said plate and having their free ends turned to bear against it, the said ends being also perforated to Of course a series afford bearings i or the trunnions of said roller substantially as set forth.

2. In a roller-latch a plate provided with a slot, in combination with a roller protruding in part through said slot but of diameter greater than the Width of the latter, and a pair of bent flat springs attached to said plate and having their free ends turned to bear against it, the said ends being perforated to afford bearings for the trunnions of said roller and permit them to slip readily out of the same at will, the said trunnions being also of suffioientlength to extend beyond the ends of the slot substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE J. RECORD.

Vitnesses:

JENNIE E. PORTER, ALLEN M. Cox. 

